Ornamentals and Mar. 2008 OF-42

Xeriscape

Melvin Wong Department of Tropical and Soil Sciences

ecause most of Hawai‘i’s hotels, shopping centers, development of a deep root system and decreased fertil- office buildings, and residences are located on the izer levels. dry,B hot leeward sides of the islands, many of their land- Many xeriscape plants are hardy and drought toler- scape plants are xeriscape plants, even though irrigation ant but not necessarily attractive. Examples are milo, is usually available. Xeriscape plants include most of the neem, gular, Java plum, kiawe, yellow poinciana, silver coastal native plants and beach plants. oak, looking glass, chinaberry, mahogany, octopus, date Rainforest plants suffer in hot, dry weather. In similar palm, ironwood, hau, and wiliwili (), and beach fashion, xeriscape plants may often suffer in wet condi- naupaka, blue vitex, oleander, cardboard palm, Indian tions. For example, mock orange is very vulnerable to hawthorn, and yeddo hawthorn (shrubs). Other xeri- root rot in poorly drained soil or landscapes with exces- scape plants are attractive or have unique and desirable sive irrigation. features with different degrees of drought tolerances. The landscape committee of a Kāhala condominium Examples of such trees are California pepper, weeping was not satisfied with the maintenance of their facility red bottlebrush, karum, variegated Chinese banyan, white and recommended to their grounds foreman to increase opiuma, Formosan koa, Cook or Norfolk pines, rainbow the irrigation. The foreman did just that and succeeded shower, coconut, lignum vitae, St. Thomas orchid, silver in causing root rot to mock orange, Natal plum, and buttonwood, , Australian tea, blue latan palm, privet. Canary Island date palm, dwarf date palm, plumeria, Enchanted Lake has a heavy clay soil that does not silver , queen palm, gold , autograph, true and dry out quickly once wet. As this is a dry area where false kamani, mahagoni, , and Madagascar olive. frequent watering is necessary, hibiscus, croton, Natal Examples of shrubs are Raspberry Ice bougainvillea, plum, privet, and mock orange suffer from root rot in a Hula Girl hibiscus, spider lily, daylily, enchantress haw- similar fashion. Amending the soil is not cost effective. thorn, candlebush, Cape honeysuckle, dwarf poinciana, But even with this difficult soil, beach naupaka grew stephanotis, sandpaper vine, allamanda, purple bignonia well and looked good. Therefore, I recommended that vine, mandevilla, yellow mandevilla vine, Japanese susceptible shrubs be replaced with beach naupaka. honeysuckle, orange blanchetiana bromeliad, variegated Several succulent ground covers, such as hottentot pineapple, and Texas Ranger. fig, ice plant, hearts and flowers, and bacopa suffer from Finding effective and attractive ground covers with Rhizoctonia even when watered normally. The xeriscape drought tolerance is not easy. My preferences are African ground covers of Madagascar periwinkle and dwarf lily, Madagascar periwinkle, the green form of spider oyster plant will be damaged from Phytophthora foliar plant, false heather, trailing lantana, bird nest sanseviera, rot if the foliage is wet by the irrigation system. and beach vitex. Many drought tolerant vines can also be Salinity damage can be a problem during hot, dry added to this list of ground covers. In the future, when conditions if irrigation is not adequate. Developing a water becomes scarce, brackish water may be required deep root system by watering deeply and not allowing for landscape uses. Therefore, xeriscape plants with the lower soil layers to dry out is extra insurance against tolerance will become important. The following lists of salinity damage. Therefore, proper irrigation is impor- plants is provided to help you choose xeriscape plants. tant in hot, dry weather to avoid root and foliar rot with It is not a complete list. You may add or delete as you excessive watering and to avoid salinity damage through choose.

Published by the College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources (CTAHR) and issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, in coopera- tion with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Andrew G. Hashimoto, Director/Dean, Cooperative Extension Service/CTAHR, University of Hawai‘i at Mänoa, Honolulu, Hawai‘i 96822. An equal opportunity/affirmative action institution providing programs and services to the people of Hawai‘i without regard to race, sex, age, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, dis- ability, marital status, arrest and court record, sexual orientation, or status as a covered veteran. CTAHR publications can be found on the Web site . UH–CTAHR Xeriscape Plants OF-42 — Mar. 2008

Trees Acacia confusa ...... Formosan koa Bauhinia binata Bauhinia blakeana ...... Hong Kong orchid Bauhinia monandra ...... St. Thomas orchid Bauhinia variegata Bucida buceras ...... geometry Callistemon citrinus ...... weeping red bottlebrush Cassia x Nealiae ‘Wilhelmina Tenny’ Casuarina equisetifolia ...... ironwood Catalpa longissima ...... yoke-wood manghas ...... cerbera Clusia rosea ...... autograph cujete ...... calabash Enterolobium cyclocarpum ...... earpod Guaiacum officinale ...... lignum vitae Gymnostoma papuanum Hypphorbe lagenicaulis ...... bottle palm Mimusops caffra Mimusops elengi ...... pogada Olea europaea subsp. Europaea ...... oliva Peltopohorum pterocarpum ...... yellow poinciana Phoenix canariensis ...... Canary Island date palm Pimenta dioica ...... Pithecellobium dulce ‘Variegata’ ...... white opiuma Plumeria rubra ...... plumeria Pongamia pinnata ...... karum Prosopis pallida ...... kiawe Pterocarpus indicus ...... narra molle ...... California pepper Schinus terebinthifolius ...... Christmasberry Sterculia foetida ...... Java olives Sterculia urens ...... gular Swietenia mahagoni ...... mahogany Thevetia peruviana ...... be-still Thevetia peruviana var. aurantiaca ...... salmon-pink be-still

Shrubs Agave attenuate ...... dragon tree agave Allamanda schotti ...... bush allamanda Allamanda cathartica var. hendersonii ...... allamanda Anisacanthus thurberi ...... desert honeysuckle Bauhinia galpinii ...... red bauhinia vine Bougainvillea ‘Raspberry Ice’ ...... raspberry bougainvillea Bougainvillea spectabilis ...... bougainvillea Calotropis gigantean ...... crown Caesalpinia pulcherrima ...... dwarf poinciana Carissa macrocarpa ...... Natal plum

2 UH–CTAHR Xeriscape Plants OF-42 — Mar. 2008

Crinum asiaticum ...... spider lily Dietis bicolor ...... African iris Ficus microcarpa var. crassifolia ...... wax ficus Galphimia gracilis ...... galphimia Gardenia taitensis ...... Tahitian gardenia Grewia occidentalis ...... lavender starflower Jasminum multiflorum ...... star jasmine Leptospermum scoparium ...... New Zealand tea Leucophyllum frutescens cv. Texas Ranger ...... Texas Ranger Ligustrum japonicum ...... Japanese privet Marsdenia floribunda ...... stephanotis Murraya paniculata ...... mock orange Nerium oleander ...... oleander Petrea volubilis ...... sandpaper vine Plumbago auriculata ...... blue plumbago Pseuderanthemum curruthersii var. atropurpureum ...... purple false eranthemum Pseuderanthemum curruthersii var. reticulatum ...... yellow veined false eranthemum, eldorado Pseuderanthemum curruthersii var. variegatum ...... variegated false eranthemum Rhaphiolepis x delacourii ...... enchantress hawthorn Rhaphiolepis indica ...... Indian hawthorn Rhaphiolepis umbellate var. integerrima ...... yeddo hawthorn Russulia equisetiformis ...... coral plant Senna alata ...... candle bush Tabernaemontana divaricata ...... crepe jasmine Tecoma capensis ...... cape honeysuckle Thunbergia erecta ...... bush thunbergia Turnea ulmifolia ...... yellow alder Vitex trifolia var. variegate ...... variegated blue vitex

Native shrubs Canthium odoratum ...... alahe’e Dodonaea viscose ...... ‘a‘ali‘i Hibiscus arnottianus ...... Hawaiian white hibiscus, koki‘o ke‘oke‘o Hibiscus calyphyllus ...... ma‘o hau hele, Rock’s Kauai hibiscus Myoporum sandwicense ...... naio Osteomeles anthyllidifolia ...... ‘ülei Scaevola sericea ...... beach naupaka Vitex rotundifolia ...... pohinahina, beach vitex Wikstroemia uva-ursi ...... ‘äkia

Groundcovers Aloe barbadensis ‘Vera’ ...... orange form of aloe vera Alternanthera tenella ...... joyweed Aptenia cordifolia ...... hearts and flowers Asystasia gangetica ...... coromandel Catharanthus roseus ...... Madagascar periwinkle Chlorophytum comosum ...... green form of spider plant Crassula ‘Flame’ ...... flame crassula

3 UH–CTAHR Xeriscape Plants OF-42 — Mar. 2008

Cuphea hyssopifolia ...... false heather Graptopetalum paraguayense Kalanchoe blossfeldiana ...... kalanchoe Kalanchoe fedtschenkoi Lantana camara ‘Flava’ ...... yellow sage Lantana camara ‘Mista’ ...... mista yellow sage Lantana montevidensis ...... trailing lantana Lonicera japonica ...... Japanese honeysuckle Rhoeo spathacea ...... oyster plant Rhoeo spathacea ‘Dwarf’ ...... dwarf oyster plant Sanseviera trifasciata ...... snake plant Sedum x rubrotinctum ...... pork and beans

Landscape plumeria cultivars Carmen Common Yellow Dwarf Singapore Dwarf Pink Singapore Duke East West Center #3 Hilo Beauty Jean Moragne Kauka Wilder King Kalakaua Maui Beauty Samoan Fluff Sherman Tomlinson White Shell

Used for landscaping because of the flowers Little Pink Pansy Kimo Moir Nebel Rainbow

Succulents

Agavaceae Agave americana ...... century plant Agave augustifolia ‘Marginata’ ...... variegated Caribbean agave Agave attenuate ...... dragon tree agave Dracaena marginata ...... money tree Fucraea foetida ‘Medio-picta’ ...... Mauritius Fucraea gigantean ‘Striata’ Fucraea sallow marginata Nolina recurvata ...... pony tail Sanseviera trifasciata ‘Hahnii’ ...... bird’s nest sanseviera

4 UH–CTAHR Xeriscape Plants OF-42 — Mar. 2008

Yucca elephantipes ...... spineless yucca

Cactaceae Echinocactus grusonii ...... golden barrels Echinocereus rigidissimus Mammillaria ceisiana ...... showy pincushion Mammillaria parkinsonii ...... owl’s eyes Soehrensis ingens

Crassulaceae Crassula ‘Flame’ Graptopetalum paraguayense Kalanchoe beharensis ...... felt bush Kalanchoe blossfeldiana ...... kalanchoe Kalanchoe feltschenkoi Sedum x rubrotinctum

Euphorbiaceae Acalypha godseffiana Acalypha hispida ...... chenille plant Acalypha wilkesiana ...... copper Codiaeum variegatum ...... croton Euphorbia lactea ...... dragon-bone tree Euphorbia milii ...... crown of thorns Euphorbia pulvinata ...... cushion euphorbia

Liliaceae Aloe barbadensis ‘Vera’ ...... orange form of aloe vera Asparagus densiflorus ‘Myers’ ...... foxtail asparagus Asparagua densiflorus ‘Sprengeri’ ...... sprenger asparagus Chlorophytum comosum ...... green form of spider plant Crinum asiaticum ...... spider lily Hemerocallis aurantiaca ...... golden summer daylily Ophiopogon jaburan ‘Vittatus’ ...... white lilyturf

Xeriscape plants in the Acanthaceae family Anisacanthus thurberi ...... desert honeysuckle Asystasia gangetica ...... coromandel Graptophyllum pictum ...... caricature plant Graptophyllum pictum ‘Eldorado’ ...... eldorado caricature plant Hemigraphis aurantiaca ...... metal leaf Justicia brandegeana ...... shrimp plant Pseuderanthemum carruthersii ‘Atropurpureum’ ...... purple false eranthemum Pseuderanthemum carruthersii ‘Reticulatum’ ...... yellow-veined false eranthemum Pseuderanthemum carruthersii ‘Variegatum’ ...... variegated false eranthemum Thunbergia erecta ...... bush thunbergia Thunbergia erecta ‘Alba’ ...... white bush thunbergia

 UH–CTAHR Xeriscape Plants OF-42 — Mar. 2008

Xeriscape plants in the family Allamanda cathartica ...... common allamanda Allamanda oenotheraefolia ...... dwarf allamanda Allamanda schotti ...... bush allamanda Adenium obesum ...... desert Carissa macrocarpa ...... Natal plum Catharanthus roseus ...... Madagascar periwinkle Cerbera manghas ...... cerbera Mandevilla x amabilis ...... mandevilla Nerium oleander ...... oleander Pentalinon lutea ...... yellow mandevilla Plumeria rubra ...... plumeria Thevetia peruviana ...... be-still Thevetia peruviana var. aurantiaca ...... salmon-pink be-still

Xeriscape plants in the family Catalpa longissima ...... yoke-wood Crescentia cujete ...... calabash tree Jacaranda mimosifolia ...... jacaranda Kigelia africana ...... sausage tree Macfedyena unguis-cati ...... cat’s-claw creeper Saritaea magnifica ...... purple bignonia aurea ...... silver trumpet tree Tabebuia berteroi ...... hispaniolan rosy trumpet tree Tabebuia donnell-smithii ...... gold tree Tabebuia rosea ...... pink trumpet tree

Xeriscape plants in the Fabaceae family Acacia confusa ...... Formosan koa Adenanthera pavonina ...... false wiliwili Bauhinia binata ...... alibangbang Bauhinia galpinii ...... red bauhinia Bauhinia monandra ...... St. Thomas orchid tree Bauhinia variegata ...... orchid tree Bauhinia blakeana ...... Hong Kong orchid tree Caesalpinia ferra ...... Brazilian ironwood Caesalpinia pulcherrima ...... dwarf poinciana Calliandra haematocephala ...... lehua haole Cassia bakeriana ...... baker shower tree Cassia grandis ...... pink shower tree Cassia javanica ...... pink and white shower tree Cassia x nealiae ‘Lunalilo Yellow’ ...... Lunalilo Yellow rainbow shower tree Cassia x nealiae ‘Nii Gold’ ...... Nii Gold rainbow shower tree Cassia x nealiae ‘Queen’s Hospital White’ ...... Queen’s Hospital White rainbow shower tree Cassia x nealiae ‘Wilhelmina Tenney’ ...... Wilhelminia Tenney rainbow shower tree Colvillea racemosa ...... colvillea Delonix regia ...... royal poinciana Enterolobium cyclocarpum ...... earpod

6 UH–CTAHR Xeriscape Plants OF-42 — Mar. 2008

Erythrina crista galli ...... common coral tree Erythrina sandwicensis ...... wiliwili Erythrina variegata ...... Indian coral Erythrina variegata ‘Tropic Coral’ ...... Tropic Coral wiliwili Pithecellobium dulce ‘Variegata’ ...... white opiuma Prosopis pallida ...... kiawe Pterocarpus indicus ...... narra Samanea saman ...... monkeypod tree Senna alata ...... candle bush Senna surattensis ...... kalamona tree Tamarindus indica ...... tamarind

Resources Courtright, Gordon. 1988. Tropicals. Timber Press, Portland, Oregon. Graf, Alfred Byrd. 1981. Tropica. 2nd edition. Roehrs Company, East Ruthford, New Jersey. Kuck, Loraine E., and Richard C. Tongg. 1955. The modern tropical garden. Tongg Publishing Company, Hono- lulu. Neal, Marie C. 1965. In gardens of Hawaii. Bernice P. Bishop Museum Special Publication 50, Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu. Rauch, Fred D. and Paul R. Weissich. 2000. Plants for tropical landscapes. University of Hawai’i Press, Honolulu. Staples, George W. and Derral R. Herbst. 2005. A tropical garden flora. Bishop Museum Press, Honolulu.